Reached: Matched, Book 3

After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. In this gripping conclusion to the Matched Trilogy, Cassia will reconcile the difficulties of challenging a life too confining, seeking a freedom she never dreamed possible, and honoring a love she cannot live without.

Gone Girl: A Novel

It is Nick and Amy Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick's clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn't doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media - as well as Amy's fiercely doting parents - the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he's definitely bitter - but is he really a killer?

No. The first part of the book was rather boring; learning about the main characters, but becomes important for a future twist. Lines in the book were repeated, maybe for a point, but boring nonetheless. I’m half and half about this book. I think the story is interesting and has great twists, but the bring parts and repetitions are a drudgery. I enjoyed trying to figure out if Nick had killed his wife and other mysteries (not wanting to spoil). The relationship parts were okay, although a bit slow and boring. The ending was disappointing. Like a bad movie that leaves you saying: “oh”. This could have ended in a better way.

State of Wonder: A Novel

Research scientist Dr. Marina Singh is sent to Brazil to track down her former mentor, Dr. Annick Swenson, who seems to have disappeared in the Amazon while working on an extremely valuable new drug. The last person who was sent to find her died before he could complete his mission. Plagued by trepidation, Marina embarks on an odyssey into the insect-infested jungle in hopes of finding answers to the questions about her friend's death, her company's future, and her own past.

The story is suburb and keeps you on the seat of your pants—in parts. After you drudge through the first part (1 hour?) the story picks up and is entertaining. This mystery involves the jungle as a character and weaves a tantalizing story of discovery. Parts drag and are forgettable, but the main story was worth the listen.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Marina had to aid a woman in giving birth even though she doubted herself.

Beautiful Creatures: Beautiful Creatures, Book 1

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes if you are bored. interesting story idea, but the book is less exciting than it could be.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Lena's powers showing themselves and possibly getting her into trouble. The book tends to drag.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

I thought the narrator did a nice job changing his voice for the characters. The music was boring and distracting. The dream sequences are strange and I thought the mp3 file was corrupt. Cannot hear what the character is saying during the dream sequences.

Did Beautiful Creatures inspire you to do anything?

Not read the rest of the series. Although I have read other reviews that state you have to get through this book to enjoy the others. Their ratings are higher, apparently the series gets better after this book? Not sure if it will be worth the gamble.

Crossed

The hotly awaited second book in the dystopian Matched trilogy.... In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Matched: Book 1

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

Similar to Hunger Games and Divergent series, although I would argue as a series falls a bit flat. The first and second books are my favorite; the third book is boring and falls flat. Even though this book griped my attention, after reading the series, I would prefer to reread a series I enjoyed in its entirety.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Matched?

Cassia spending time with Ky, especially learning to write and sneaking around the officials and society to do so. Romantic and elements of danger.

Have you listened to any of Kate Simses’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I cannot compare. I thought her narration was terrific although in the later 2 books Jack Riccobono reads the males’ voices and this adds to the narration.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction. Matched and Crossed were captivating and hard to put down.

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie (Oprah's Book Club 2.0)

A debut of extraordinary distinction: through the trials of one unforgettable family, Ayana Mathis tells the story of the children of the Great Migration, a story of love and bitterness and the promise of a new America. In 1923, 15-year-old Hattie Shepherd flees Georgia and settles in Philadelphia, hoping for a chance at a better life. Instead, she marries a man who will bring her nothing but disappointment and watches helplessly as her firstborn twins succumb to an illness a few pennies could have prevented.

Not heavily. For a human interest piece, it was a well-written and assembled novel. However, the interest and reader involvement wasn’t high. A story that doesn’t involve the reader can still be a good story. But a story that draws you in is quite a different experience. This book, this set of stories about Hattie and her marriage, relationships with her children and other man, while interesting, does not draw you into the experience. While reading I could have put the book down at any moment and not picked it back up.

Would you be willing to try another book from Ayana Mathis? Why or why not?

Maybe, depends on what other choices are out there. I would probably not read from this author again, while the book was interesting, it wasn’t really worth my time.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

I liked Ella the best, the story of Hattie’s child given up to her sister. I think a close second would be the gay son, as his struggle with sexuality and the shame he felt was superbly portrayed.

Did The Twelve Tribes of Hattie (Oprah's Book Club 2.0) inspire you to do anything?

I guess I think differently about experiences people had during that time period.

The Happiness Project

Gretchen Rubin had an epiphany one rainy afternoon in the unlikeliest of places: a city bus. "The days are long, but the years are short," she realized. "Time is passing, and I'm not focusing enough on the things that really matter." In that moment, she decided to dedicate a year to her happiness project.

Easy read and I would recommend this book to everyone!! Gretchen is analytical about happiness and creating a better life filled with more joy. She accomplishes this through organization, taking better care of her body, attending to her relationships, and many other aspects. I love that she doesn’t treat happiness as an isolated feeling to fix, but from a holistic view. I think the focus on anti-depressants and trying to normalize is some senses takes away from finding true joy and happiness. I understand medication is needed, but no one should settle for feeling ok. Gretchen’s experiment and journey are eloquently described and have encouraged me to be a better person to others, tackle tasks that seem to grand, and to try be honest with myself.

What other book might you compare The Happiness Project to and why?

This book was similar to “The Courage to Start” by John “The Penguin” Bingham and to “My Stoke of Insight” by Jill Bolte Taylor because I was inspired by all, and given new perspectives that forced growth in my life. However, The Happiness Project was different in the fact that the author addresses all areas of life for growth.

What does Gretchen Rubin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She is able to portray the feelings and difficulty of situations through her reading that while stated, one might not get the full impact. You can also better appreciate her ability to laugh at herself and situations in her life. Her excitement and confidence in her findings or truths, is contagious. While a similar experience may be derived from reading the book, her narration is highly recommended.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I have laughed out loud at some of the situational stories in the book, especially when about conversations with her husband.

Safe Haven

When Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community..

I liked how there was an element of danger and mystery sometimes lacking in Nicholas Sparks. He masterfully creates love stories, but some have seemed too similar. Safe Haven keeps with his romance theme, but adds elements of danger to the main conflict/plot. A little sappy, but overall nice.

What other book might you compare Safe Haven to and why?

The Notebook, Dear John, The Vow are similar to the writing and story.

Have you listened to any of Rebecca Lowman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I don’t believe I have, but enjoyed her reading this story. I think her narration adds to the story by emplacing the emotions felt but the main characters.

Les Miserables

Set in the Parisian underworld and plotted like a detective story, Les Miserables follows Jean Valjean, originally an honest peasant, who has been imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving family. A hardened criminal upon his release, he eventually reforms, becoming a successful industrialist and town mayor. Despite this, he is haunted by an impulsive former crime and is pursued relentlessly by the police inspector Javert.

I LOVE the movie of this book (2012 edition). I believe I might enjoy reading the story. However, the narrator has completely turned me off to the idea of listening to it.

What other book might you compare Les Miserables to and why?

Les Miserables the movie to me is similar to Atonement, where the characters make life changing choices that affect everyone around them and contain large epiphany moments.

What didn’t you like about Frederick Davidson’s performance?

Mr. Davidson sounds pompous and bored when he reads this story. It is hard to get past this and be interested in the story when the narrator sounds bored. Furthermore, his breathing and page turning are distracting and irritating.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I do love the story of Les Miserables, and will purchase a paper copy to read. Hopefully I can enjoy it that way.

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